Air conditioner



A. TONKIN' 2,120,166

June 7, 1938.

AIR CONDITIONER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 12, 1936 Maxi CA RBUIPEIOR- INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

June 7,1938.- A. TONKIN 2,120,156

AIR CONDITIONER Filed Aug. 12,.1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR;

A'iTORNEY.

Pam... 1...... 1, 1938 2,120,166

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIR CONDI TIONER- Albert Tonkin, Cloquet, Minn., assignor of twothirds to J. L. Monnahan, Minneapolis, Minn.

- Application August 12, 1936, Serial No. 95,545

2 Claims. (Cl. 257-7) This invention relates to air conditioning intermediate of the tank 5 and pipe II is returned means for automobiles, the principal object bedirectly to the suction side of the pump 3.

ing to utilize the cooling effect of the expansion A common expansion valve is indicated at l5, of the fuel employed in the operation of the motor by which the liquid is converted into gas while 5 of the automobile. passing therethrough, and I6 illustrates a three- 5 Still other objects and advantages of the inway valve for control of the passage of the liquid vention will appear in the following description either through the expansion valve l5 and into thereof. the radiator 4 by way of the pipe connections Referring now to the accompanying drawings, l|l8 or through the branch pipe I!) to the coil 10 forming part of this application, and wherein 20 within the auxiliary expansion tank 5. 0 like reference characters indicate like parts: There are also illustrated at 2 and 22 common Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the preelectrically operated control valves to be of the ferred arrangement embodying the invention. well known solenoid type, having suitable electric Figure 2 is aside elevation of the elements of connections indicated at 23 and 24 to the vehicle the invention located upon an automobile. battery 25 via the ignition switch 26 of the ve- 15 The invention is particularly applicable to a hicle, so that these valves are simultaneously conself propelled vehicle in which natural gas or trolled by the ignition switch 26, thus insuring other liquid fuel under high pressure is employed, safety against leakage of gas.

as for example in tanks or the like which are With the above described mechanism it be replaced from time to time, in supplying the comes possible to operate the. device optionally; 20 vehicle with fuel. that is, either for heating or cooling of the body In the drawings, l represents the motor of of the vehicle, or any special division of the body the vehicle, 2 the water cooling radiator for the portion, wherein it becomes desired to control the motor, 3 the pump for circulating the motor cooltemperature thereof, and which is accomplished ing water, 4 a hot-water radiator for conditioning in the following manner: 5

the air within the vehicle body, 5 is an expan-., To use the device as a cooling medium, the sion tank, and 6 the tank of compressed liquid control valves 2| and 22 of the system herein gas. described are opened, this being accomplished While I have illustrated the radiator 4 as havautomatically as previously described, when cir- 30 ing but three loops or bights of coil therethrough, culation of the liquid to the expansion valve I5 30 for passage of gas to the motor, it is evident that will take place (provided, of course, the threethis is only diagrammatic and there may be any way valve I6 is adjusted for such circulation, and desired number of such loops or coils as circumit is desired to cool the compartment about the stances may require. In this radiator is illusradiator 4); and the'shut-off valves l0 and I3 trated an air vent at I which is common in such will be closed, when the-liquid in the radiator 4 35 radiators. The pipe connection from the motor will become cold on account of the expansion to the upper portion of the radiator 4 is illustaking place in the coils therethroughof the pipe trated at 8, it having a branch 9 which leads to l8, it being understood that the upper and lower the expansion tank 5, and through which the hot compartments 2'! and 28, respectively, of the 40 water is optionally circulated and controlled as radiator 4 are connected by vertical tubes 29 40 by the shut-off valve illustrated at It) in the pipe through which the loops or coils of the pipe 18 line 8. pass, the outside atmosphere readily circulating ll represents the return ,or cold water pipe through the openings 30 in the radiator, there leading from the lower portion of the radiator being, of course, the usual fan, not shown, for

to the intake of the water circulating p p 3. circulation of the air therethrough at the will of 45 and thence to the radiator 2 and back to the the operator. In this event the water from the motor I, which is the reverse of that which is motor and radiator 2 will-be normally circulated common in water circulating heating devices for through the pipe 9, auxiliary tank 5, and pipes l4 motor vehicles. However in the branch pipe l2 and H, to the pump 3, added expansion of the forming the connection between the pipe H and gas in the pipe I!) and coil 20 taking place by vir- 50 the radiator 4 is installed a shut-ofi valve I3 so tue of the warm water passing through the tank that by the closing of these two shut ofi valves 5, the latter oi. course, being at this time cooled. l0 and I3 the motor cooling water iscirculated Whereas when it is desired to heat said comthrough the pipe 9 into the expansion tank 5 partment the valves l0 and I3 are opened and/ 5 and from thence by means of the connection l4 the three-way valve l6 adjusted to .admit'the gas directly into the pipe 19 and coil 20 in the -tank 5, when hot water will be circulated through the radiator l, pipes l2 and |l+to the suction side of the pump 3, and at which time some circulation of the hot water will pass through the pipe 9, or a shut-oil valve may be installed in said branch pipe if desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an air conditioning system for automobiles, having a motor, radiator, carburetor and water circulating pump therefor, an air conditioner in the housing compartment of said automobile, a compressed liquidgas supply, an expansion tank for the gas supply, a circulating pipe leading from the gas supply to and through said air-conditioner, thence to said expansion tank and to said carburetor, a valve to optionally connect the gas supply direct with the expansion tank, or through said air conditioner thereto and water circulating pipes connecting the radiator, motor, expansion tank, pump, an air conditioner, whereby the body of the auto- ..mobi1e may be optionally heated by the water of the circulating system or cooled by the expanding gas as it passes to the carburetor.

2. In an air conditioning system for automobiles having a motor, radiator, carburetor, and

pump therefor, an air conditioning radiator with- ALBERT TONKIN. 

